500 gallon RF Build revised

[moody cue]

Thanks for the advice. I'll circle back with any questions as I get started.

 

[imafishingfred]

Thanks for the advice. I'll circle back with any questions as I get started.

When you get started you may want to start your own thread that we can follow.

 

[JckDanls 07]

Thanks for the advice. I'll circle back with any questions as I get started.

When you get started you may want to start your own thread that we can follow.

:yeahthat:

 

[nwbhoss]

I am looking to start my own 500 gallon RF build which will be my first, so this is all new to me. As such, I have been reading through this thread intently over the past week or so and I have to say it is incredibly helpful! This will definitely be my blueprint. 

My only concern is that the tank I found is pretty old (built in the 50's) so the dimensions are not what you typically see in the more modern 500 gallon tanks. It is a short/fat design (see attached pic). This tank is roughly 48" OD and about 6.5' long, whereas I believe most 500 gallon tanks are narrower/longer. Yours, at least, seems to have the more typical dimensions you see in a 500 gallon tank. Does the short/fat design make it less conducive for a RF smoker? I would hate to invest a bunch of time and money into this thing just to discover that it doesn't have proper airflow because of the dimensions.

I suppose one of the perceived benefits of having a CC of these dimensions is that it certainly lends itself to having multiple cooking shelves because it is taller. But one thing I haven't seen much of is discussion around the effectiveness of having multiple shelves. Does it create airflow problems? do you get inconsistent air/smoke flow on the upper/lower shelves? 

One more question I have has to do with placement of the CC doors. Is there a general rule of thumb in determining how low/high to cut the doors? Ideally it seems the bottom of the door would be about where the lower cooking shelf is. But in order to accomplish this it seems like I would have to run the numbers using Dave's calculator for the FB/CC opening to see where the height of the RF plate will end up and then just go a few inches above that? Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks! 

IMG_0306.JPG

• moody cue
• Nov 6, 2016

Sorry I took so long to reply
I just went thru a shoulder surgery and I just now getting to where I can sit at the computer and type.
I am glad I could be of some help to you. I made enough mistakes that if you learn from just a few of them you will be ahead of the game.
As far as your doors go if look back in my thread that was probably the biggest mistake I made mostly because I couldn't fix it. I cut my doors first and before I got schooled here on what I was doing, I cut the top of my doors at the 12 oclock position and that was a big mistake, it made the doors much heavier than they needed to be. I believe DaveOmak posted a picture showing how the doors should be cut. Measuring down from the top about 3" vertically is a good place to cut. It will make a big difference, the doors will be much lighter and you will not loose any cook space.

 

[daveomak]

CC door opening height.jpg

• daveomak
• Sep 16, 2016

 

[nwbhoss]

 

CC door opening height.jpg

• daveomak
• Sep 16, 2016

once again thank you Dave! I have been scrolling thru over 100 pages of "reverse flow door" pictures looking for this and could not find it. Computers are not my thing. 

 

[nwbhoss]

and as far as the bottom rack compared to the reverse flow plate I have about 4 inches or space between them and that works fine. I am sure a guy could get away with less if he needed to. 

 

[daveomak]

Here's an older plan...   It show's the drip edge to keep condensate or grease splashing inside the CC....

 

[moody cue]

I picked up the tank over Thanksgiving and will be getting started on this build shortly so I setup a separate thread. Here is the link:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/254878/500-gallon-fat-tank-reverse-flow-build

Thanks in advance for your support and advice!

 

[weldwizzz]

What size is the angle iron for your shelves?  looks to be 1" by 1" by 1/8" angle.  I'm worried about my shelve bending from the heat.  I would like to use 3/4" x 3/4 x 1/8".  Will that be too flimsy?

 

[weldwizzz]

Ignore previous post..   wrong page.

 

[bruster]

Hate to dig up an old post..how big is your opening at the end of your RF plate? How is that 8” stack working out?

 

[nwbhoss]

Hate to dig up an old post..how big is your opening at the end of your RF plate? How is that 8” stack working out?

The 8" stack works perfectly along with the entire smoker.
Following the calculator exactly and taking the advise of the guys here who have been there and done that lead to a great working smoker. The opening at the end of the RF plate is basically the size of the bell end. My RF plate ends at the weld of the bell.

 

[bruster]

Thats good to hear! Ive ran the numbers on feldons but i need to ise the calculater off here.On my 160 gallon i built my opening was the same size as The FB cut and seemed to work good! Just nice to get forst hand answers from someone who built the exact smoker im shooting for as far as numbers

 

[daveomak]

Don't use Feldon's..... use the tutorial below..

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t...eady-to-use-rev5-6-19-15.172425/#post_1264161

 

[bruster]

Don't use Feldon's..... use the tutorial below..

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t...eady-to-use-rev5-6-19-15.172425/#post_1264161

Damn thats confusing

 

[daveomak]

One sentence at a time... write down the number.... go to the next....

Diameter X Diameter X 0.7854 X Length = Volume in cubic inches

Volume in cubic inches X 0.004 = FB/CC opening in square inches

Volume in cubic inches X 0.004 = Area under the RF plate in square inches

Volume in cubic inches X 0.004 = Area required at the end of the RF plate in square inches

Volume in cubic inches X 0.33 = minimum volume of the Fire Box

That's about 70% of the work...

 

[gary s]

Like Dave said One line at a time Nothing to it

Gary

 

[bruster]

Im going to start a build thread so we wont clog up hoss’s thread

 

[AllTuckerdOut]

I got a bunch of work done today
Cut the firebox to cook chamber opening and got the firebox welded to the cook chamber and cut the tack welds on the doors and I am happy to say the doors didn't budge! One door is now removed to add trim and new hinges and to install the reverse flow plate
Welding the firebox in small steps moving to opposite sides and letting each weld cool did a great job keeping it from warping.

how did you know how far to bring in the firebox into the cookchamber?